!['File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [‎128r] (268/554)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000222/IOR_R_15_1_573_0266.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [‎128r] (268/554)")
'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [128r] (268/554)
The record is made up of 1 volume (270 folios). It was created in 20 Jan 1942-26 Jun 1945. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
bljll
THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
//^
/
ARABIA.
0f jCsMinp prrcjprMOY
July 22, 1942.
CONFIDENTIAL.
r 7/f/.^;.
Section 1.
CO^FiiDiw i'iiiL RECORDS
[E 4326/4326/25]
Copy No. 107
Summary of Events in Saudi Arabia during 1941.— {Received in Foreign Office,
July 22.)
IN Saudi Arabia, where the Government is not only centred on the King but
where the King, aided by counsellors and advisers with the courtesy title of
Ministers, is the Government, the King's attitude dictates that of his subjects and
is alone of importance. But though Ibn Saud is an absolute monarch, he is, and
is recognised to be, a benevolent despot, and the wisdom of his policy of friendship
with and reliance on Britain is appreciated even by those elements who wish that
such a policy were unnecessary. Ibn Saud's personal attitude is thus of the
greatest importance, for it dictates the attitude, or at least the policy, of the
country as a whole. This attitude has been through the year, as will appear from
succeeding paragraphs, not only satisfactory but most helpful. Whilst pre
serving the outward appearance of neutrality, Ibn Saud has never failed to show,
by his reactions to events and by his advice to those Arabs who have consulted
him, where lay his inclinations and the interests of his country and of the Arabs
generally. As the war has progressed and as the wall of British and British-
controlled territory has closed around him, and as the scarcity of pilgrims,
especially those of the richer class, has driven the country into bankruptcy, he
has, of course, become more and more dependent on the goodwill of His Majesty's
Government for the very existence of ihis country. This dependence, coupled with
his known friendship, loyalty and confidence, provides ample assurance that his
policy of co-operation will be continued. His confidence in British strength and
in an ultimate British victory is unshakable. An illustration of his attitude was
afforded when H.M.S. Hood was lost. His counsellors wore inclined to draw the
conclusion that not even the British navy could stand up to the Germans. The
King invited them to wait for a few days and they would see. When His
Majesty's hope was realised and the Bismarck was sunk all those in attendance
stood up at the King's command and clapped.
2. The year opened with the poorest pilgrimage since the Hejaz-Nejd war.
The loss of Javanese and Malays, who alone among pilgrims stay for long periods
and spend' freely, was especially serious from the standpoint of Saudi finance®.
The drop in revenue collected from pilgrims, both directly in the shape of quaran
tine dues and tax on travel by car or camel, and indirectly through taxation
of those who had earned money through services to the pilgrims, necessitated
frequent appeals to His Majesty's Government, the California Arabian Standard
Oil Company and the United States Government for financial assistance. In
addition to the £400,000 promised for 1941, His'Majesty's Government made
two further advances of £250,000 each. Ten million Saudi riyals were also
minted in India at a cost of roughly £450,000 and presented to Ibn Saud. The
California Arabian Standard Oil Company made an advance of 3 million dollars,
but the United States Government did not see their way to offering Government
assistance to a country so clearly within the British sphere. In spite of this
assistance, the Saudi Arabian Government ended the year with a deficit made up
of unpaid bills and unpaid salaries of over £1 million. Ibn Saud has already
asked for assistance in 1942 on a larger scale, including a credit for the purchase
of foodstuffs in India.
3. Whilst little of interest has happened in Saudi Arabia itself, and whilst
this report must mainly be a recording of the impact on the country of events out
side, the war did for a few days come closer to Saudi Arabia. On the 3rd April a
message was received that three Italian destroyers which had escaped from
Massawa were making for Jedda. To the relief oi the local authorities, who had
received the news of the impending arrival of the ships with consternation, they
were driven ashore by combined naval and air action some 10 miles to 15 'miles
south of Jedda and scuttled by their crews. In the course of this action Saudi
[32-1]
About this item
- Content
The volume consists of telegrams, letters, and reports relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire, the Political Agencies in Bahrain and Kuwait, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. and the Foreign Office in London, and the Government of India.
Much of the volume covers Saudi-US relations, including:
- US financial assistance to Saudi Arabia;
- the report (ff 146-147) of a medical tour of the country made by the American Mission to Bahrain;
- a trip to Kuwait made by Colonel Hoskins, President Roosevelt's Personal Envoy to Ibn Sa'ud in August 1943;
- the opening of a US Consulate in Dhahran;
- a secret report (ff 223-224) on 'America and Arabia' from the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire.
Other subjects covered are:
- the report (ff 79-99) of a trip to Riyadh made by Tom Hickinbotham, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. in Kuwait;
- the wartime supply situation in the region;
- the financial situation in Saudi Arabia;
- Ibn Sa'ud's relationship with Sa'ud bin 'Abdullah bin Jiluwi, the Amir of Hasa;
- telegraphic communications in the country;
- meteorology, including a report (f 181) on the British Meterological Party's tour of Saudi Arabia;
- Ibn Sa'ud's request for British military and financial assistance.
Also notable within the volume are:
- Gerald De Gaury's interview with Ibn Sa'ud (ff 19-22);
- annual summary reports on Saudi Arabia produced by the British Legation in Jeddah for the years 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944;
- a letter (152-154C) from Bertram Thomas to the Political Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Bushire following his trip across Arabia, detailing anything he thought might be useful for the British Government to know;
- a report (f 175) on the Saudi Arabian royal family by the British Legation in Jeddah.
At the end of the volume (ff 249-264) are internal office notes.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (270 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically. There is an alphabetical subject index to the contents, at the front of the volume (folio 2).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the sequence starts on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbering is written in pencil, circled and located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. There are the following irregularities: 1A, 1B, and 1C; 28A and 28B; 154A, 154B, and 154C; 216A and 216B.
Condition: the broken spine cover is detached from the volume and enclosed in a plastic sleeve numbered folio 265, at the back of the volume. The plastic sleeve may cause some loss of sharpness to the digital image of the spine cover.
There is a second sequence that is inconsistent. It is also written in pencil but is not circled.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [128r] (268/554), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/1/573, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023505692.0x000043> [accessed 20 April 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023505692.0x000043
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023505692.0x000043">'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous' [‎128r] (268/554)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023505692.0x000043"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000222/IOR_R_15_1_573_0266.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000000193.0x000222/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/573
- Title
- 'File 61/11 X (D 170) Nejd-Hejaz Miscellaneous'
- Pages
- front, back, spine-a:spine-c, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1ar:1cv, 2r:153v, 154ar:154cv, 155r:185r, 186r:215v, 216ar:216bv, 217r:229v, 231r:232v, 238r:267v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence